Book-latch



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

R. L. UNDERHILL, OF BATH, NEW YORK.

DOOR-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,425, dated May 22, 18.60.4

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. L. UNDERHILL, of Bath, in the county of Steubenand State of New York, have invented a new and Iniproved Door-Latch; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part o'f this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side viewof a portion of a door and its framing with my invention applied to it.Fig. 2 a horizontal section of ditto the plane of section passingcentrally through the latch. Fig. 3 is an end view of the bolt which isfitted in the door. Fig. et an end view of the bolt which is fitted inthe stile of the door frame.

Similar' letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral gures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a latch of simple constructionthat may be readily applied to a door and operated with greater facilitythan those of usual construction, so that a child or a person with thehands occupied in holding articles, can readily actuate the latch andopen the door, as the turning of the knob is not required as hitherto toeffect the result; the invention at the same time obviating the exposureof the latch when the door is open, and thereby preventing the tearingof ladies dresses a contingency which frequently occurs in the use ofthe ordinary door latches.

The invention consists in having the knobarbor so arranged that it mayslide longitudinally in the door and transversely therewith, said arborbeing connected with a slide bolt through the medium of a lever or anequivalent device and using in connection with the above a spring boltfitted in the stile of the door frame and operating in relationtherewith as hereinafter shown and described to effect the desired end.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a portion of a door to which my invention is applied, andB, is a knobarbor which passes transversely through the door A, and isprovided with a knob C, at each end. The arbor B, 1s allowed to slide acertain distance in the door A. Into the edge of the door A, a metaltubular case D, is fitted said tube having a face plate a, at its outerend, through which screws L,

pass into the door and secure the case D, in the door.

IVithin the case D, a bolt E, is fitted longitudinally with a spiralspring o, around it, said spring having a tendency to keep a collar d,on the bolt in contact with a stop e, in the case D, in which positionthe outer end of the bolt is flush with the edge of the door as shownclearly in Fig. 2. The inner end of the bolt E, is provided with a headf, one end of which projects through a slot g, in the inner part of thecase. In the inner part of the case D, a bent lever It, is secured, theinner end of said lever being fitted in a notch z', in the arbor B.

In the edge of the stile F, of the door frame there is fitted a tubularcase G. This case G, is in line with the case D, and within the formerthere is placed a bolt H, the outer end of which is beveled as shown atj, said beveled end being precisely similar to the ends of the ordinarydoor-latch bolts. On the bolt I-I, a spiral spring 71:, is placed saidspring being much stiffer than the spring c, on the bolt E. The outerend of bolt H, works through the back of the case Gr, said end having anut Z, on its end to serve as a stop.

The operation is as follows: When the door A, is closed, the arbor B, isshoved in ward and the lever 7L, will be turned or moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow 1, Fig. 2, and as the spring lc, isstiffer than the spring o, on bolt E, the latter will be placed backwithin its case D, and the bolt H, will retain or hold the door in aclosed state see Fig. l. In order to open the door the arbor B, is drawnoutward as indicated by arrow 2, and the lever z, is moved in thedirection of arrow 3, forcing the bolt E, outward which presses the boltH, fully within its case Gr, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby permitting thedoor to open by continuing the pull or draw on the arbor in thedirection of arrow 2. It will be seen therefore that the door may beopened by simply drawing the knob-arbor no turning of the knob beingrequired and consequently the door may be readily opened. It will alsobe seen that the bolt H, in consequence of being fitted in the edUe ofthe stile F, is not exposed and will:` therefore not serve as a means tocatch dresses as is the case with the usual latches.

I am aware that locks or latches have been The em lo ment 4or use, inconneetlon slil ingyknob-arbor B, of bolts lf3, H, fitted respectivelyin the door'A, and st1le F, and arranged in relatlon Wlth each other 15`.and the knob yarbor to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

R. L. UNDERHILL.

Witnesses: o

T. P. PURDY, R. UNDERHILL.

M A A A l

